Locking means for anode structures



c. c. HERSKIND nocxxna im .ron nous snucr'unns Filed Nav.' 21,v 1941 Inventor'. Car'l C. Hetskind, bg .Wa/wy cf. 2ML@ His-Attorneg.

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Patented June 16, 1942 t LOCKING MEANS FOR ANODE STRUCTURES Carl C. Herskind, Schenectady, N. assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application November 21, 1941, serial No. 419,918

4 Claims. (Cl. Z50-27.5)

My invention relates to anode structures for mercury arc rectifiers of the iron tank type or like devices, particularly to locking means for the anodes and the supporting anode stems or studs ther objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a sectional of such rectiers, and its general object is to pro- 5 view of an anode structure in which my invention vide an improved locking means for the comhas been embodied, and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail ponent members of structures of this character. views illustrating a disengageable locking means. In anode structures for mercury arc rectiiiers Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral I designates of the iron tank type the anode proper or anode an anode tip preferably of graphite having a fiat tip is commonly insulatingly mounted on the l upper surface 2 and a threaded central opening tank by means of a long anode stem or stud, to 3, and the numeral 4 designates an anode stem the lower or inner end of which the anode tip is or stud having a threaded portion 5 to which screwed. The anode seal, connected to the tank the anode tip I is adapted to be screwed. The cover or wall, includes an insulating member numeral 6 designates an anode seal which inhaving a hole formed therethrough for the pasl5 cludes an insulating member 1. A metal memsage of the anode stem, and a metal member to ber 8 which is mounted upon the insulating memwhch the anode stem is secured projects within ber 'I and projects upwardly therefrom is prefthis insulating member. erably constituted by a metal insert portion 9 The metal member above referred to prefwhich is moulded into and projects a considererably includes an insert member of a suitable e able distance within the insulating member, and alloy molded into the seal insulating member, and a metal terminal portion I0 welded or otherwise a terminal member of suitable material welded fastened to the upper extremity of the insert portO the insert member, the T1016 in the insulating tion 9. A hole II is bored through the lower pormembel OI the paSSage of the anode stem being tion of insulating member "I and the metal in- COIltiliiled through the insert member and nlO sert 9, and a hole is bored partly through the terthe terminal member and the anode stem being minal member I0, the latter member being screwed into the terminal member. threaded to receive the threaded upper portion In such anode structures as above described I2 of the anode stem 4. difficulties have been encountered due to the To lock disengageably the anode stem 4 against tendency of the anode tip to shake loose during 3o rotation with respect to the metal member 8, a shipment or during operation and to unscrew metal member or sleeve I3 is provided surroundfrom the anode stem, and also to the tendency ing a portion of the anode stem and projecting of the anode stem under like conditions to shake upwardly to a predetermined point I4 within the loose from the metal member which projects metal insert 9. The sleeve I3 is adapted to be within the seal. locked to the insert 9 by cutting a keyway I5 in In accordance with my present invention the the inner wall of the insert, as better shown in above mentioned and other diiculties are over- Fig. 2, and providing on the end of the sleeve I3 come by providing disengageable means locking a locking means in the form of a key I6, better the anode stem to the metal member which proshown in Fig. 3, which nts into the keyway. To jects within the anode seal and which comprises provide space for the sleeve I3 the hole Il is the metal insert and the terminal member. A drilled to a suitably larger diameter from the disengageable means is further provided for locklower end of the insulating member I to the point ing the anode tip to the first-mentioned disen- I4 of the insert 9, leaving a shoulder I1 on the gageable 10eking means, insert against which the upper end I8 of the In practicing the invention, for disengageabli Sleeve 3211011115 locking the anode tip and the anode stem against To lock disengageably the anOde Dip i t0 the unscrewing, a locking member or sleeve surroundanode stem 4, the sleeve I3 may iirst be fastened ing the anode stem is preferably provided and the to the anode stem 4 as by a pin I9 traversing the anode seal, stem and tip assembly is locked prefsleeve and stem preferably at a point 20 of the erably at three points, the above mentioned anode stem closely adjacent to the threaded porsleeve being locked for this purpose at its upper or outer end to the metal member which projects into the seal and at its lower or inner end to the anode stem, if desired, and to the anode tip.

The novel features which are considered to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation together with furtion 5 thereof, and the anode tip is .prevented from rotation with respect to the sleeve I3 as by pins 2l extending into the tip through holes 22 formed in an extension or ange member 23 of sleeve I3.

In order to facilitate removal of the anode tip, the pins 2I are preferably threaded into the tip but not into the flange 23 and a hexagonal hole 24 is provided in the pins so that a suitable hexagonal key may be used for unscrewing the pins from the graphite anode tip. Since the pins 2I are threaded into the graphite they will not weld in place in operation as might be the case if they were threaded into the metal of the flange 23. Further, pins 2I being threaded into the anode tip I will not fall out if the anode structure is turned upside down during factory assembly.

It is not absolutely essential in practicing my present invention that the anode stem 4 be locked to the sleeve I3 by the pin I9. However, provision of the stem and sleeve locking means constituted by the pin I9 makes possible the removal of the anode tip, if desired, from the threaded portion 5 of the stem 4 withoutdanger of unscrewing the stem from the terminal member I0. In the absence of the pin I9 the stem 4 would be floating or unsecured against rotation, within the sleeve I3 and the terminal member I when the tip I was unscrewed from the stem.

In assembling the illustrated anode structure incorporating the locking means in accordance with my present invention, the metal member or sleeve I3 is first slid over the anode stem 4 and the stem is then inserted into the seal 6. The sleeve I3 is next pushed into the lower end of the insulating member I and on into the inn sert member 9 up to the shoulder II and ro" tated until the key or tab I6 ts into the slot or keyway I and the sleeve is firmly abutted against the shoulder. The anode stem 4 is then screwed into the terminal member or cap if! as far as it will go. The various parts are so proportioned that when the anode stem 4 bottoms in the terminal member Il) the sleeve I3 abuts against a shoulder 25 formed on the stem 4 at the beginning of the threaded portion 5 thereof.

Thus when the anode stem 4 is fully threaded into its terminal member I0 the sleeve i3 is held in nal position longitudinally so that it is firmly locked to the insert member 9 and cannotA be rotated with respect thereto.

The anode stem 4 is, preferably, next locked against rotation with respect to the sleeve I3 by means of the pin I9 which traverses the stem and the sleeve at point 20. The anode tip I is then screwed onto the threaded portion 5 of the anode stem until the upper iiat surface 2 is in place in contact with the flange portion 23 of sleeve I3. In the upper face of the anode tip I a recess 2t is preferably provided into which projects the lower portion of sleeve I3 in whichthe pin Iii is provided. It is not necessary therefore to peen over the ends of this pin as it is held in place by the walls of the recess 26.

After the anode tip is screwed into place on the anode stem, the tip is secured against ro tation with respect to the anode stem and the sleeve I3 by means of the pins 23 which pass through the flange portion 23 of sleeve I3 and are screwed into the tip. e

It will be seen that the hereinabove described anode structure locking arrangement in accord-J ance with the present invention avoids the undesirable weld required if the anode stem. is locked against rotation relative to its terminal cap by means of a pin set in, for example, from the top of the terminal cap. Further, it will be seen thatin the use of the hereindescribed arrangement any type of thread may be utilized in the terminal cap without affecting the locking means, thus permitting the use of the thread having the highest electrical conductivity.

The anode structure thus assembled may be readily disassembled by reversing the abovedescribed assembly process.

My invention has been described herein in a particular embodiment for purposes of illustration. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is susceptible of various changes and *Y modifications and that by the appended claims I intend to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I lclaim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, an insulating member for an anode seal, a metal member projecting within said insulating member, an anode tip, an anode stem screwed at one of its extremities to said metal member, and at its other extremity to said anode tip, and vmeans to preventrotationvof said anode tip with respect to said metal member, said means including Va member extending between said tip and a predetermined point of said metal member and disengageably connected at its opposite extremities respectively to said tip and to said metal member at said Dredeten mined point to lock disengageably saidA stem to said metal member and tofsaid anode tip.A

2. In combination, VVan insulating Ymember` for an anode seal, a metal member projecting within said insulating member, an anodestem-screvved to said metal member, anyanode tip s crew'ed to said stem, and means to prevent rotation fof said anode tip `with respect to said metal member, said means including a sleeve enclosing aportion of said anode stem and'disen'g'z'tgeably connectedV to said metal member and to said anode tip.

3. In combination, an insulating Ymemberfor an anode seal, a metal member projecting within said insulating member, an anode'rstern'screwed into said metal memberVan anode tip screwed to said stem, and means to prevent rotation'of said anode tip with respect to said metal member, said means including a sleeve enclosing a portion of said stem and disengageably connected at one extremity to said metal member and at its other extremity to said anode stem, a flange member connected to said stem at said other ex-l tremity thereof, and means associated with said flange member and said anode tip toprevent rotation of said tip with respect to said flange member.

4. In combination, an anode terminal'member, an anode seal comprising an insulating member and a metal insert therein connectedjto said terminal member, an anode stem projecting through said insulating member and saidV insert and screwed at one extremity of said stem into said vterminal member, a metal Vsleeve on said stem having a flange portion and extending to a point within said insert, locking means at said point on saidv sleeve and said insert to prevent relative rotation thereof and disengageable when said stem Vis unscrewed from'said terminal member, an anode tip screwed to said anode stem at the other extremity thereof, locking means comprising a member engagingrsaid stem and sleeve to prevent relative rotationV thereof, and locking means comprising a member engaging said sleeve flange portion and said anode tip to'pre vent relativerotation thereof. e Y

CARL C. HERSKVINIS. 

